


never let go

by peachsneakers



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Analoceit - Freeform, Dermatillomania, Fluff, M/M, Nail Biting, Nail Painting, Skin picking, Sympathetic Deceit | Janus Sanders
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:13:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24835165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peachsneakers/pseuds/peachsneakers
Summary: Janus, Virgil, and Logan bond over nail polish.
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Deceit | Janus Sanders/Logic | Logan Sanders
Comments: 15
Kudos: 185





	never let go

**Author's Note:**

> sequel to ["won't you hold me"](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24819394)

"Here," Virgil says, plunking down an enormous plastic box filled to the brim with nail polish and other supplies. "I have no idea if this is gonna help you, too, but uh, might as well."

"At least I'll have pretty nails," Janus murmurs. He's removed his gloves for this, carefully tucked away into one pocket, and he has to fight the urge to pick at the scales on his hands.

"You can have pretty nails, too, if you want," Virgil says, addressing Logan. Logan sits down at the table, looking at the box with interest.

"I would enjoy that," Logan admits.

"So what colors do you want?" Virgil asks, setting them out on the table. "I have a lot. There are creme polishes, holographic polishes, metallic polishes..."

"Holographic," Janus and Logan say in unison. Virgil laughs.

"Holo it is then," he says. "Which colors?"

"Yellow," Janus says without thinking. "It matches my aesthetic." Logan hesitates.

"It doesn't have to match your aesthetic," Virgil encourages him.

"Blue, please," Logan says. "But- could purple be included?"

"Of course," Virgil says. He looks pleased.

"And yellow," Logan adds. "I'd like my nails to be a reflection of you, as well."

"Lo, that's really gay," Janus says, his face flushed.

"So does this help you not bite your nails?" Logan asks Virgil, changing the subject. Virgil nods, pulling out a dark blue holographic polish and snagging Logan's hand.

"I don't wanna mess up the polish," Virgil explains. "I tried that nasty tasting shit, but I just got used to the taste. But nail art-" He shrugs. "I dunno. It helps. I just get tempted when it starts chipping because hey, it's messed up anyway, might as well, you know?"

"I wear gloves in part because of my skin picking," Janus volunteers, his voice tiny. His boyfriends look at him with slight surprise, then Logan nods.

"That makes sense," he says. "Gloves or applying lotion are both recommended to help with skin picking."

"It helps," Janus agrees. Now that he's started to talk about it, the scaled side of his face seems to burn, aching for the scratch of his fingertips. Logan rests his free hand on Janus's, anchoring it to the sunny wood of the table. Janus flashes him a look of gratitude. 

"So yours are gonna be a little complicated, Lo," Virgil says, finishing up one hand and beckoning for the other. "Jan, what do you want? Just plain polish or some designs?"

"Snakes?" Janus requests. Virgil grins.

"I should have known," he says, with a laugh. "Snakes it is. I think I have that in here somewhere. Double-headed snakes, even." 

"What do you want to do with your own nails?" Janus asks in interest. Virgil shrugs.

"Either purple with bats or rainbow," Virgil says. "I haven't decided yet."

"Why not both?" Logan suggests. Virgil tilts his head to one side as he considers it, purple-dyed fringe flopping into his eyes.

"You're a genius," he declares.

The next several minutes pass in companionable silence, as Virgil paints Logan's nails and starts on his own. Janus pulls the bottle of yellow polish to himself.

"I can do the base," he explains, when he notices Virgil's inquisitive look.

"Go for it," Virgil encourages. Janus's hands tremble a little when he lifts the brush free, bright with yellow polish. He swipes it across his thumbnail, somehow managing not to smear it across his skin, and smiles in relief.

"I'll do the snakes," Virgil adds casually. "When you're done, that is." He pauses, looking between Logan's hands. "Lo, you're done."

Janus's eyes widen in appreciation when he sees what Virgil's accomplished with Logan's short, no-nonsense nails. Constellations wheel across his nails, blended into what looks like the aurora borealis.

"Thank you, Virgil," Logan says sincerely, admiring them. "They look beautiful."

"No problem," Virgil says, hitching up one shoulder as he continues his own rainbow gradient. "I thought you'd like stars, so."

"I do," Logan assures him.

"And I like snakes," Janus chimes in, showing off his freshly painted yellow nails. For once, he doesn't have the urge to pick at his cheek, and he basks in the feeling.

"Gimme your hands," Virgil says. "It's slither time for the danger noodle."

Janus watches the proceedings in interest.

"So um, I know you don't bite your nails," Virgil says. "But I was thinking, maybe you'd see this on your nails when you went to touch your face and then it'd help remind you not to."

"Thank you, storm cloud," Janus says, admiring the tiny double-headed snakes Virgil is carefully placing on each nail. "I- I think it might help."

Virgil grins.

"Good," he says. "All done." Janus flexes his fingers, admiring the way the light shone off the holographic glitter staining his nail beds. A few minutes later, Virgil holds up both hands, showing off an alternating pattern of glittery rainbow gradient and deep purple with black bats winging across his nails.

"Impressive," Logan says. "You should show the others."

"I'm not doing anyone else's nails," Virgil says, laughing, as he starts to pack up his nail polish box. "Well- I'd do Remus's."

"Because otherwise he might drink the nail polish?" Janus asks. Virgil wrinkles his nose.

"Exactly," he says.


End file.
